Refrigerated container



Jam 3, 1 c. E. QUINN 2,187,913 I REFRIGERATED CONTAINER, 7

Filed Jan. 12 .4959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 (Q H INVENTQR. Clara E Q mn AORNEYS BY I I Q Jmzzmuo. QEQ m 2,187,913

REFRIGERATED CONTAINER Filed Jan. 12, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENIOR.Clara 4-. Q nn ATTORNEY Jan. 23,1940. c. a. QUINN 2,187,913

I REFRIGERATED CONTAINER Filed Jan. 12, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet .s

INVENTOR.

C'lamE i n BY in v rown; v

Jan. 23, 1940. 5, 5 m 2,187,913

REFRIGERATED CONTAINER Filed Jan. 12, 1939 4 Sheigs-Sheet 4 I INVENTOR.'CIGI'GEQu hQ Patented Jan. 23, 1940 Clara E. Quinn, St. Petersburg,Fla., assignor to Broquinda, Inc., St. Petersburg, Fla.,-a corporationof Delaware Application January 12, 1939, sci-m n 250,478

comma (Cl. (rs-91.5 r

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerated containers suchas railroad cars, truck bodies, and the so-called L. C. L., or less thancarload lot, containers as used on railroads.

s An important object of this invention is to provide a completeself-contained unit of thisv nature. Y

A further object of the invention is the provision of a refrigeratedcontainer of this type 10 particularly adapted to employ solid carbondioxide as the primary refrigerant although other primary sources ofrefrigeration can be used.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of arefrigeration system for containers 15 of this type which is capable ofautomatic operation to maintain desired temperatures therein. l

These and many other objects as will appear 5 80 sectional viewtherethrough;

Figure 3 is. a verticaL. transverse, crosssectional view throughtheprimary and secondary. refrigerant, container in one suitable form; s

Figure 4 is adiagrammatic view of the struc- 85 ture by means of whichcarbon dioxide gas when solid carbon dioxide is used as the'primaryrefrigerant is employed to take advantage of its refrigerating andinsulating properties before it is discharged to the atmosphere; 40Figure 5 is a plan view of the control box for the refrigeratedcontainer;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of Figure 3 showing amodification in the construction; and 4a Figure '1 is a horizontal,cross-sectional view through the structure of Figure 6.

A large volume of perishable products is transmitted on the railways, intrucks and other conveyances by means of sealed containers which io'havebecome designated by the abbreviation.

L. C. L. These containers are usually packed at the sources of thematerial, shipped therein, loaded on flat cars or the like, shipped tothe nearest distributing point, andthen either are ll unpacked there orunloaded and transported to their ultimate destination. Heretofore ofthis type has been developedwherein the refrigeration system is adaptedto and capable of use with such containers. The general purpose of thisinvention is to provide at the same time as simple a refrigerationsystem attainable'which will be fully self-contained, easily preparedfor use, and efficient and dependable for maintaining a desired minimumtemperature therein.

In the form of the. invention illustrated in the drawings the portablecontainer is more or less diagrammatically illustrated as comprising anouter shell I which may be of metal, an inner shell 2 which may be ofmetal or other suitable material, and an interposed heat insulatinglining 'or shell} of any suitable material, such'as rock wool, cork inits many forms, and the like. These shells. are united into a strongdurable container which is provided with one or more openingsconveniently closed by doors 5 and .5 through 3 which access to theinterior of the container is 'possible'. As illustrated at one end ofthe container towards the top thereof, there'is provided a suitablesupporting structure 6 which has been illustrated as a wooden framing.Supported therein is a double wall container of metal com-- prising anouter shell l and an inner shell 8 united to form a closed or sealedspace. As illustrated' in Figure 3 this combined shell may havean-upwardly extending skirt 8' which as illustrated in Figure 2cooperates with an opening in the top of the container which is closedby means of a removable closure member 9 in turn protected by a coverithingedly mounted at it. The space between the shells I and O is divided.as illustrated for example in Figure 3, by means, of a helical partitionl2 formed of a strip of metal no fullii satisfactory method ofrefrigerating containers arranged so that the high point of thepartition is adjacent the return connections 20 and 25 and its lowerterminal'end is positioned adjacent the supplyconnections II and. v

As illustrated in Figure 2 the supply connections "and il extend to theheat exchange coils throughwhich-a liquid secondary refrigerantcirculates by thermosyphonic action. There is one of these at each sideof the container near the top thereof as will be apparent from Figures 1and 2. The heat exchange cell for the connection It is shown in fulldetail in Figure 2. It is connected by means of a coupling II to theconnection and is provided asillustrated with a pair of branches l8 andI! which extend horizontally along the container to the far end thereofwhere these branches reunite into a single return line II which isconnected through a control valve with the return connection 2|. Asshown in Figure 2 the branches are provided with a series of metal flnsl2 which may bein the form of discs in heat conducting relation with thebranch pipes which are, of course, of metal, and extending into thespace to increase the heat absorption area of those pipes.

-As shown in Figure l, the control handle 2i for the valve ll extendsinto a control box 22 mounted on the side of the container at a con--.venient point for access thereto. The connection i4 in a similar manneris provided with finned branches which unite into the return line 2|connected through the valve 24 to the return connection 25. The valve 2|is operated or controlled by means of a thermostatic device 21 which isconnected to the valve by means of a Bourdon wire 28. The valve 24 isone of a number of suitable and well known forms of valves adapted tooperation by means of a main transmitting member such as the Bourdonwire 26. The thermostatic device extends to the control box 22 andterminates at the adjustable thermostatic device 28. The pointer of thisdevice may be set at any desired temperature and the valve 24 will beadjusted by the thermostatic device 21 which is exposed to thetemperature conditions within the container. The thermostatic device 21likewise may be any one of a number I which receives theprimaryrefrigerant I. The

connection 3| has, attached thereto a l' 24 provided with the branches2| and 2|, see also Fig 4. Inthe branch 3| is a hand valve 3|, to

which isconnect'ed a coil I1 positioned in any suitable manner, asindicated in Figures 1 and 2,'whic h coil terminates in a dischargeconnection 3| to the atmosphere. The branch 3| is likewise provided witha manual control valve 4| and connects to a pipe 4i which extends intothe insulation 3 of the container as illustrated inl 'lgure2.Thisextensionfl'opensintothe space between the shells. i and 2 and mayextend toseversi sides th reof. the illustration in 1'18-ure2beinginillustratlvesense. Asisclean fromr'igure 2,thehes'texchsngecoilsnndthe I gutters are supported and protectedbya'suitable grillwork II which is preferably-made of The double wallcontainer is shown provided with a modified partition wall ill: inFigures6and'7. lnthiscaseinsteadofempioy nsa helically formed strip thepartition wall consists of a series of plates or sheetl "a alternatelyinclined in oppositedirections and each is pro-- vided on its low sidewith an opening l2b, as is clear from these figures. 4

In the operation of the apparatusthe space between the shells I and andthe heat exchange "coilsis fllledwith anyone ofanumberoi'suitable andknown liquids which may act as secondary refrigerants and which areparticularly adapted to thermosyphonic circulation'by reasonof'diifsrences in temperature existing in noperated parts thereof. Thespace within the inner shell 8 is charged with blocks of solidrefrigerants, such as water ice, but preferably solid carbon'dioxide.

When the system is in operation the valves 24 and I! are open. Valve I!may be adjusted manually by 'means of the handle 2i to some point whichwill provide one-half or more of the the necessary flow of secondaryrefrigerant to maintain a desired temperature in the container. Thethermostatic control 2| when suitably calibrated can then be set toprovide the remainder of the required refrigeration by the properadjustment of.the valve 24. As the surrounding temperature conditionsfluctuate, as well as those within the container, the thermostaticdevice by reason of the adjustment thereof acts to properly control thevalve 24 to maintain the desired temperature within the container. Animportant feature of this invention consists in the fact that the valves19 and 24 are in the return lines rather than in the. supply line. Ithas been foundfrom experience that this position of the control valvesensures a more uniform temperature condition within the container, thatis, the desired temperature is more accurately maintained. With theapparatus thus set the cold secondary refrigerant leaves the spacebetween the shells and 8 from the bottom through the connections i3 andI4, circulates through the heat exchange coils, an'd returns in its warmcondition, having amtracted heat from the main container through the topof this space through the connections 20 and 2!. It is dischar ed ontothe helical partition l2 in heat exchange relation with the shell 8 andas it cools it gradually descends in a spiral path to the bottom of thespace where it is discharged, as is clear from Figure 3, adjacent thesupply lines l3 and 14.

At this point it may be noted that in the arrangements of Figures 6 and7 a similar result occurs except that the secondary refrigerant flowsback and forth by running down one partition l2a, falling through theopening l2b onto the next lower partition, and then flowing back to theother side around the inner container Thus it flows back and forth andgradually reaches the bottom of the container I adjacent the supplyconnections and I4. The arrows in Filure 6 clearly show the path oftravel of the secondary refrigerant from the time the warm fluid entersthrough the connection 2| until it leaves through the connection l3.

In theoase of solid carbon dioxide as it sublirnes the gas generated isconducted through the connection 3| to the branches l6 and The amount ofgas which moves through these branches is determined by the setting ofthevalves 2| and 4|, respectively. The gas which goes through branch 3|circulates through the coil 21 to provide additional refrigeration forthe space from the gas before it is discharged to waste through theoutlet 2|. The portion of the gas going through the branch 3| isdischarged between the shells I and 2 through 4| and serves as a coldblanket around the inner space. In addition, the. carbon dioxide gas,having a low specific heat, is a good heat insulator, thereby aiding toinsulate the inner space from the outside.

It will .be seen by this arrangement that a fully self-containedrefrigerating imit is provided for a portable container of the L. C. L.or equivalent types which may, for example, be a removable truck bodywhich efiiciently operates I of the original solid carbon dioxide.

Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many changes inthe details of construction and relative arrangement of the parts may becarried out without departure from the novel subject matter hereindisclosed. It is not de sired, therefore, to be strictly limited by thisdisclosure but rather by the claims granted.

What I seek to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a portable refrigerating unit, the combi nation including a heatinsulated cabinet, a double wall container supported within said cabinetand adapted to support a solid refrigerant in the inner container,supply and return connections for the space between said containers, aheat exchange coil exposed to the space within the cabinet and connectedat its ends to the supply and return connections, a valve'in the returnconnection, thermostatic means mounted in the space and connected tosaid valve for operatin it, and means exterior of said cabinet foradjusting said thermostatic device to maintain a desired temperaturewithin the container, said heat exchange coil being-supported near thetop of said container along one side thereof and having a plurality ofheatconducting flns mounted thereon. l

2. In a portable refrigerating unit, the combination including a heatinsulated cabinet, a double wall container supported within said cabinetand adapted to support a solid'rei'rigerant in the inner container,supply and return connections for the space between said containers, aheat exchange coil exposed to the space within the cabinet and connectedat its ends to the supply and. return connections, a valve in the returnconnection, means exterior of the cabinet for adjusting said valve, anda second coil con-l nected to the inner space of said double wallcontainer mounted in the space.in the cabinet and having a discharge tothe atmosphere.

3. In a portable refrigerating unit, the com.-

bination including a heat insulated cabinet, a double wall containersupported within said ca b inet and adapted to support a solidrefrigerant in the inner container, supply and return conadjusting saidthermostatic device to adesiredtsmpersturewithinthscontsinmand a secondcoil connected to the inner space of said double wall container mountedin the space in the cabinet and having a discharge to the atmosphere.

4. A refrigerated L. C. L. container compris ing a heat insulatedcasing, a double wall container supported within said casing comprisinga V I pair of nested shells, the inner shell being adapted to receive asolid refrigerant and the space between said shells a liquid secondaryrefrigerant, a pair of heat exchange coils connected to said space andarranged along a pair of opposite sides of said cabinet,'a valve in thereturn connection of each of said coils, one of said valves beingaccessible from the exterior of said cabinet for manual. adjustment, athermostatic operator for the other of said valves mounted in saidcabinet, and means for adjusting said thermostatic operator accessiblefrom the exterior of said cabinet. I

5. In a portable refrigerating unit, the combi nation' including a heatinsulated cabinet, a double wall container'supported within said cabinetand adapted to support a solid refrigerant in the inner container,supplyand return connections for the space between said containers,

a heat exchange coil exposed to the space with:

in the cabinet and connected at its ends to the supply and returnconnections, a valve in the return connection, said double wallcontainer, supply and return connections and heat exchange coil forminga closed circulatory system for a secondary refrigerant, and meansin thespace betweenthe double walls of said container for causing thesecondary refrigerant to followa circuitous pathin passing from thereturn to the supply connections.

6. In a portable refrigerating unit, the combination including a heatinsulated cabinet, a double wall container supported within said cabinetand adapted to support a solid refrigerant in the inner container,supply and return con necticns for the space between said containers, aheat exchange coil exposed to the space within the cabinet and connectedat its ends to the supply and return connections, a valve in the returnconnection, said double wall container, sup

ply and return connections and heat exchange coil forming a closedcirculatory system for a secondary refrigerant, and partitions mountedin the space between the double walls of said container to cause thesecondary refrigerant to flow in contact with the inner of said doublecnaasnqonm. u

